Means for continuously closing and sealing vacuum jars



M; C3. REGAN May 25, 1937.

MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CLOSING ANIj SEALING VACUUM JARS Filed Dec. 19,1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. I

INVENTQR Michael CRegqn o BY 26 G6 ATTORNEY May 25, 1937. H M. c. REGANMEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY CLOSING AND SEALING VACUUM JARS I Filed Dc. 19,-1933 2 Sheets-Shet- 2 3 0 5 I H. N I A w x a H m mm l|| ,l 5 i i a M 4 1M n a. x A Z 8 3 3 m MWW4. v a I w M F. 5/ ,I a u a 2.

Michael C. Regan um ATTORNEY Patented May 25,. 1937 [UNITED STATES J pz,os 1,2os

PATENT OFFICE- snanme VACUUM mas Michael 0. item. canton, N. J.

A plication December 19,1933, Serial No. 703,103

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a method and means for vacuumizing glass jarsand the like and more especially to a continuous method and a rotaryturret-like means for vacuumizing a plurality of containers insuccession, and sealing and ejecting them afterwards.

An object of the invention isto provide a highly from the machine.

fthe several views.

Another object is to provide a vacuum sealing machine having a.revolving turret which, while in motion, will permit a glass jar or likecontainer.

to be admitted into a single chamber, then to close the door to thatchamber, then to begin to exhaust the air gradually after acomparatively long interval of vacuumizing while the drum or turret iscompleting a full circle, then to break the vacuum connection and sealthe jar, and finally to automatically eject the jar from the machine.

v A further object is to provide such a machine which will permit thejars to be continuously inserted in the revolving turret to therebyassure vacuumization over a gradual and increasingly long interval.

All these and other objects as suggested here below are attained by themethod and means new to be described; and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view ofthe completely assembled device of this invention, partly broken away toshow some of the interior details.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, also partly broken away and slightly enlargedover that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional vertical elevation taken through the line 3-3 ofFig. 2, but drawn to the scale of Fig. 1.

, And Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view, partially broken away, and slightlyenlarged to the scale ofthat of Fig. 2.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout In the embodiment disclosedthere is shown a base member II from which rises a central tube l2adapted to support the various stationary members of the device. Withintube I2 is a cen-;

tral drive-shaft l3 driven through a worm-andgear drive l4, Fig. 3, atits top. A motor, or other source of power (not shown), is connected tothe worm of the drive members l4 to actuate the device. .55

concentrically positioned around the driveshaft I3 is a revolvingturret-like member i6 guided by rollers it, (see Figs. 2 and 3) whichare revolvably attached to a spider-like member B0 stationarily attachedto the central tube l2.

A suction from the vacuum pump (not shown) which is connected to theupper end of vacuum tube II as in Fig. 3 draws air from a fixed valve l8having a hole for breaking the vacuum, on which valve there turns acover I9 with the revolving turret-like member, but which cover is 10vertically free to rest on the valve.

The rotatingvalve cover I9 is joined by a plurality of flexible tubes 20to a like plurality of vacuum chambers 2! in the rotating turret-likebody l5. In the top of each chamber is a sleeve 5 22 for the jar-sealingram described hereafter.

Each chamber 2! has a vertically sliding door 23 held in guides 24 andresting on a stop 25 when closed. Rotatably mounted on a horizontalbearing on the outside surface of each said door is a roller 26 whichruns in a fixed track 21 when the door is opened. This track extendspart way around the outer revolving body member and is arc-shaped andparallel to said revolving body. The track 2? is positioned by means ofadjustable supports 28. The rollers and doors are raised to the fixedtrack 21 and lowered again I into closed position by running through acamshaped reciprocating track 29. The two oppositely-disposedreciprocating tracks 29 are joined by-a beam member 30 adjustably fixedto pushrods 3! which move together. These rods. are joined at the bottomby beam 32 which is connected by link 33 to the actuating lever 34. Thislever 34 is oscillated by a pin or roller in the groove in cam 35 whichis attached to gear 36 volving body I5. 45 t The revolving body I5 issuported by a ball bearing member 43 immediately beneath gear-42. A rack44 to project and a rack 45 to return the ejector are attached to thebase I I. They engage each ejector gear 46 as it passes during therotary operation of the device. Through the joining shaft the gearswings the ejector 41 out from its cavity in the back of the chamber andreturns it. The ejector pushes the sealed jar or container onto therevolving carrier disc 48. This carrier is turned by sprocket ll at thebottom of its hollow shaft through which one push-rod passes. The Jar isswept oi! the disc ll by a part of the guide rail system ill, onto theconveyor belt 5|. This belt is driven by sprocket 52 through chain 53from sprocket N which is driven by bevel gears 55, one of which isattached to the carrier disc or. its shaft. When the ejector isreturned, a container is carried into the empty chamber from theconveyor belt by means of the star wheel 56, aided by the guide rails I.This star wheel is turned by sprocket 51 at the bottom of its hollowshaft. Sprocket It on the intermediate shaft drives the carrier and starwheel sprockets through chain 8.

The glass jar .or container being operated upon by the machine is shownat 02, Fig. 2. There is of course a succession of these Jars in thecompartment of the device and a number of them are shown entering andleaving it.

Rams 63, Fig. 3, extending through openings 22 serve to accomplish thesealing of the jars by being forced downwardly by cam rail 64 on member60, which presses them down successively to press the lower disc 65 onram}! over jars ll. Spring-pressed-wheel guides ll, Fig. 2, help toretain the jars in pomtion in the chambers when partly open. I

It will be noted that this device eliminatesthe stationary pocketclosing member, as now largely used on machinesof. the rotary type. tothereby eliminate frictional chattering with its consequent breakage.This helps to reduce the power needed to a minimum and permits a fairspeed for vacuumization.

Since this machine is of light weight and therefore readily portable,and also because of its low power consumption, it has a valuable fieldin time of war, or during periods of epidemics, as a delousing andsterilizing machine; also for agricultural use, it may be used forgassing or otherwise exterminating bugs or other insects. For instance,one hundred pound sacks may be inserted in the machine with cereals andthe bugs exterminated instantly. Likewise clothing may be inserted forthe extermination of moths.

The valve construction, of course, will be such as to be self-acting ona predetermined pressure.

Having now described the invention,- what is claimed as new and forwhich Letters Patent oi the United States is desired, is:

In a vacuum sealing machine, a revolving turret, a plurality of vacuumchambers, an opening in'each chamber for admitting a container, meansduring the motion of the turret whereby a container may be admitted to asingle chamber, means for closing the chamber, flexible tube connectedmeans for exhausting the air during the balance of rotation of theturret, means having a hole for breaking the vacuum, cam-operated meansfor sealing the container, and rack-andgear operated means for ejectingthe container from the machine, a fixed track and an outer revolvablebody member, each chamber having as the chamber closing means avertically-sliding door held in guides and resting on a stop member whenclosed, each door having a roller rotatably mounted on a horizontalbearing on its outside surface, each said roller being adapted to run insaid track when the door is open, said track being arc-shaped andextending partly around and parallel to said revolvable body member.

MICHAEL C. REGAN.

